Meijer Plans Black-Owned Supplier Summit for August

Midwestern grocer Meijer is continuing its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) efforts by hosting a one-day Black Business Month Summit on Aug. 16.

Organized by the Meijer Supplier Diversity Team with support from RangeMe, the summit will be held at the retailer's corporate headquarters in Grand Rapids, Mich. The summit is open to all potential and existing U.S. vendors, as well as growing vendors looking to expand their brand into larger Meijer stores.

Interested black-owned businesses that manufacture or grow retail-ready products can register here by July 14.

Participating vendors can expect:

• A virtual mentorship preparation call on July 17, which will provide valuable insights and guidance on how to effectively prepare for the event.
• An in-person booth display exhibit for their business during the summit.
• Allotted time to meet one-on-one with Meijer merchants to pitch products, address questions, and receive direct feedback.

"In celebration of Black Business Month this August, the Summit is aimed to highlight the achievements, contributions, and economic impact made by Black entrepreneurs and business owners," said Carla Hendon, director of Supplier Diversity at Meijer. "This event also gives Black-owned businesses the opportunity to demonstrate the quality, uniqueness, and value of their products directly to our buyers."

Meijer currently operates more than 500 supercenters, neighborhood markets and Express locations throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.